CIRCLE DANCE FESTIVAL “GORKA”: TRADITIONS AND INNOVATIONS*

The circle dance festival “gorka” is one of the oldest Russian rituals of the spring and summer cycle, preserved by the Priestless Old Believers (Pomortsy) living in the Ust-Tsilma Region of the Komi Republic. This ritual activity requires the performance of seven dance fi gures or moves. Particular songs that are called “gorka songs,” correspond to each of the fi gures. In the past, the symbolism of the circle dance was linked to the renewal of life. The transition of adolescents to adulthood was arranged in ritual form; dramatized songs helped young people to fi nd potential marriage partners and to approve couples that had been formed earlier. The modern festival is held as a tribute to the ancestors. A recent innovation can be seen in the children's “gorka” and the inclusion of children into a single circle dance.